Mailchimp Pricing in 2027: Plans, Contact Limits & Hidden Costs
Mailchimp prices its email marketing plans by the number of contacts you store and caps how many emails you can send each month. That makes the advertised “from” price a poor guide to your real bill. This guide shows what each plan includes, what Standard costs at every contact band we checked, and where overages and promotions change the maths.
How much does Mailchimp cost?
Mailchimp offers four email marketing plans: Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium. On its US pricing page, the paid plans start at about $8.86 a month for Essentials and $13.27 a month for Standard at 500 contacts or fewer, and Premium starts at about $265 a month. Prices rise as your contact count grows.
- Free: $0, 500 monthly sends, 1 seat, 1 audience.
- Essentials: from $8.86/mo at up to 500 contacts, 3 seats.
- Standard: from $13.27/mo at up to 500 contacts, 5 seats, up to 200 automation flows.
- Premium: from $265.33/mo, unlimited seats and audiences, phone and priority support.
Mailchimp is currently promoting 50% off Standard for 12 months. The figures above are regular prices.
All prices were read from Mailchimp’s pricing page on 6 November 2026, in US dollars with the currency switched to USD. Mailchimp can show a local currency by default, so check the currency toggle.
Mailchimp plans compared
| Free | Essentials | Standard | Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly sends (entry band) | 500 | 5,000 | 6,000 | 150,000 |
| Seats | 1 | 3 | 5 | Unlimited |
| Audiences | 1 | 3 | 5 | Unlimited |
| Automation | Not included | Up to 4 flow steps | Up to 200 flows | Up to 200 flows |
| Remove Mailchimp branding | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email scheduling | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic content and custom reports | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Generative AI features | No | No | Included | Included |
| Support | Email for first 30 days | 24/7 email and chat | 24/7 email and chat | Phone and priority |
Source: Mailchimp pricing page, 6 November 2026. Feature availability can differ by region; confirm before buying.
Two jumps stand out. Moving from Essentials to Standard unlocks real automation, dynamic content and custom reports. Moving from Standard to Premium mainly adds scale (unlimited seats and audiences), onboarding help and priority support, at a price that starts roughly 20 times higher than Standard’s entry level.
Mailchimp Standard pricing by number of contacts
| Contacts | Standard regular price (per month) | Promo price, first 12 months | Monthly send limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 500 | $13.27 | $6.63 | 6,000 |
| 501 to 1,500 | $29.99 | $14.99 | 18,000 |
| 1,501 to 2,500 | $44.41 | $22.20 | 30,000 |
| 2,501 to 5,000 | $66.91 | $33.45 | 60,000 |
| 5,001 to 10,000 | $87.67 | $43.84 | 120,000 |
| 10,001 to 15,000 | $140.74 | $70.37 | 180,000 |
| 25,001 to 30,000 | $224.95 | $112.47 | 360,000 |
| 40,001 to 50,000 | $265.33 | $132.66 | 600,000 |
| 75,001 to 100,000 | $444.13 | $222.06 | 1,200,000 |
| 150,001 to 200,000 | $974.79 | $487.39 | 3,000,000 |
Source: Mailchimp pricing page contact selector, 6 November 2026. Standard send limits scale at 12 times the top of each band. Premium prices start at about $265.33 a month and were $311.47 at 10,001 to 15,000 contacts.
The 50% promotion is meaningful for a new account, but it lasts 12 months. If you pick Mailchimp on the promotional price, set a calendar reminder for month 12 and compare against Mailchimp alternatives before you roll onto the full rate.
What the Mailchimp Free plan really gives you
Mailchimp describes Free as a basic plan for businesses with fewer than 500 contacts. It allows 500 sends a month, one seat and one audience. It does not include automation flows, email scheduling, or removal of Mailchimp branding, and Mailchimp notes that sending is paused if you exceed your contact or send limit.
That is a testing plan, not a growth plan. If you need automation or a reasonable monthly send volume at no cost, compare it with the best free email marketing software, where several competitors allow more contacts or sends.
Is Mailchimp worth the price?
Mailchimp remains a capable general-purpose platform with a large integration library and a familiar interface. At 10,000 and 50,000 contacts its Standard plan is among the lower list prices in our email marketing software pricing comparison. The weaker spots are the Free plan limits, the 12-month promotion cliff and the gap to Premium.
Growing small businesses
You want broad features and integrations and your list is in the thousands.
Teams that value familiarity
Large ecosystem, templates and a well-known editor.
Online stores
Klaviyo vs Mailchimp and ecommerce email tools are built around store data.
Mailchimp Standard: What Each Band Costs Per Year
Mailchimp advertises monthly prices, but you commit to a contact band and pay for it every month, so the annual figure is the useful one. The table converts Standard’s regular monthly rates, recorded on 6 November 2026, to a twelve-month cost. Mailchimp also runs a 50% discount for the first 12 months, which we show separately because it ends.
| Contact band | Regular / month | Regular / year | Year one with 50% promo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 500 | $13.27 | $159 | about $80 |
| 501–1,500 | $29.99 | $360 | about $180 |
| 2,501–5,000 | $66.91 | $803 | about $401 |
| 5,001–10,000 | $87.67 | $1,052 | about $526 |
| 10,001–15,000 | $140.74 | $1,689 | about $844 |
| 25,001–30,000 | $224.95 | $2,699 | about $1,350 |
| 50,001–75,000 | $357.61 | $4,291 | about $2,146 |
Promo figures are half the regular rate for the first 12 months as advertised; confirm eligibility on the live page.
The promotional price is real but temporary. In year two the same account costs double, so a plan that looked affordable at $44 a month becomes $88. Budget on the regular column and treat the promo as a bonus.
Free vs Essentials vs Standard vs Premium: What Changes
Mailchimp’s four tiers differ in limits more than in headline features, so the decision is about which limit you will hit first.
| Plan | Starts at | Sends (base) | Seats / audiences | Notable limits and features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 500 per month | 1 / 1 | No flows, no scheduling, branding stays |
| Essentials | $8.86 (≤500 contacts) | 5,000 | 3 / 3 | Up to 4 flow steps |
| Standard | $13.27 (≤500 contacts) | 12× band top | 5 / 5 | Up to 200 flows, dynamic content, custom reports |
| Premium | from $265.33 | 150,000 | Unlimited | Phone and priority support, four onboarding sessions |
The free plan is genuinely limited: it is designed for fewer than 500 contacts and has no automation flows. The jump from Essentials to Standard is where automation becomes serious, which is also where the price roughly increases by half at small list sizes. Premium is a different category of purchase, aimed at larger teams that need unlimited seats and phone support.
Five Pricing Pitfalls to Check Before You Subscribe
Most complaints about email platform bills trace back to a small set of mechanics. These are the ones to verify with Mailchimp specifically.
- Band cliffs. Standard jumps from $87.67 at up to 10,000 contacts to $140.74 at 10,001–15,000. Adding a single contact over a boundary raises your bill by about 60%. Clean the list before you cross a band.
- Contact counting. Confirm how unsubscribed, cleaned and non-subscribed contacts are counted for billing, and whether multiple audiences count the same person twice.
- Send overages. Plans include a send allowance, and overages apply. A promotional blast to your whole list can push you over.
- Seat and audience limits. Agencies and multi-brand businesses hit the 1, 3 or 5 limits quickly.
- Pay-as-you-go credits. Mailchimp offers credit-based sending, which can suit very infrequent senders but behaves differently from subscriptions.
These are not unique to Mailchimp; every platform has equivalents. The point is to check them before, not after, you import your list.
When It Makes Sense to Leave Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a sensible default for businesses that value a large integration library (300+ integrations) and a familiar interface. It becomes harder to justify in a few situations.
- Your list is above 10,000 and growing, and cost per contact matters. At 50,000 contacts the comparable plans we recorded ranged from $265 (Mailchimp) up to $720 (Klaviyo), so Mailchimp can remain competitive on price at scale; the case for leaving is usually features, not cost.
- You need ecommerce-specific automation depth. Dedicated tools such as Omnisend or Klaviyo are built around store data.
- You are paying for features you do not use, or paying the Standard tier mainly for flows that a cheaper tool bundles.
- You want unlimited sends or contact-light pricing, as on Brevo, which charges by volume sent.
See our full email marketing guide for how the alternatives compare, and the comparison tool to line them up side by side.
What Counts as a Contact in Mailchimp?
This is the most searched billing question and the one most likely to cost you money. Mailchimp bills on the contacts in your account, and the plan references audiences (1 on Free, 3 on Essentials, 5 on Standard, unlimited on Premium). We could not confirm from the pricing page exactly how it treats unsubscribed, cleaned or non-subscribed contacts or the same person appearing in several audiences, so check the current help documentation and your account’s billing view before importing a large list. A practical rule: keep one audience where possible, tag instead of duplicating, and archive contacts you will never email.
Mailchimp vs Competitors at 1,000 and 10,000 Contacts
| Tool | 1,000 contacts / month | 10,000 contacts / month |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp Standard | $29.99 | $87.67 |
| MailerLite Comfort (yearly) | $17.10 | $80.10 |
| Omnisend Standard | $20 | $132 |
| Klaviyo Email | $30 | $150 |
| ActiveCampaign Starter (yearly) | $15 | $149 |
| Brevo Starter | $9 for 5,000 emails | $17 for 10,000 emails |
Recorded 6 November 2026. Brevo prices on emails sent, not contacts. Plan features differ.
Mailchimp is mid-pack at 1,000 and one of the cheaper options at 10,000 among contact-priced tools. Its disadvantage is not headline price but the combination of band cliffs, send overages and feature gating across tiers. See our Mailchimp vs Brevo and alternatives guides.
Discounts, Credits and Add-Ons
- Nonprofit discount: 15% off, per Mailchimp’s pricing information we recorded.
- Promotional pricing: 50% off Standard for the first 12 months; budget on the regular rate.
- Pay-as-you-go credits: an alternative to subscriptions for infrequent senders; compare cost per send with the plan you would otherwise buy.
- Onboarding: Standard includes one onboarding session and Premium four.
- Overages: sending beyond your allowance incurs extra charges.
Final verdict
Our take: Mailchimp’s Standard plan is competitively priced at larger list sizes and the 50% first-year offer is generous, but the Free plan is limited and the price doubles when the promotion ends. Decide on the regular price, not the promotional one, and check your list size against the band table before you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailchimp still free?
Yes, Mailchimp has a Free plan, but it is limited to 500 monthly sends, one seat and one audience, and it does not include automation flows. Mailchimp says it is best for businesses with fewer than 500 contacts.
How much is Mailchimp per month?
On the US pricing page, Essentials starts at $8.86 a month and Standard at $13.27 a month for up to 500 contacts, rising with your contact count. Premium starts at about $265.33 a month. Checked 6 November 2026.
How much does Mailchimp cost for 10,000 contacts?
Standard is $87.67 a month for 5,001 to 10,000 contacts at the regular rate, or $43.84 on the 12-month 50% promotion.
Does Mailchimp charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Mailchimp bills by the contact band you fall into. Check its help documentation on how it counts contacts, since billing definitions can change.
What happens when the Mailchimp 50% offer ends?
Your plan renews at the regular price, which is twice the promotional price shown for your contact band.
What is the best Mailchimp alternative?
It depends on your needs. MailerLite and Brevo are popular lower-cost options, Omnisend and Klaviyo suit online stores, and ActiveCampaign suits advanced automation. See our Mailchimp alternatives guide.
Is Mailchimp’s 50% discount permanent?
No. The advertised promotion is for the first 12 months. After that the regular band price applies, so budget on the regular rate.
What is the cheapest Mailchimp paid plan?
Essentials starts at $8.86 a month for up to 500 contacts, based on our 6 November 2026 recording, but it limits flows to four steps. Standard starts at $13.27.
What happens if my list grows past a contact band?
Your price moves to the next band. Standard rises from $87.67 to $140.74 when you pass 10,000 contacts, so it pays to clean inactive contacts before crossing.
Is Mailchimp free forever?
There is a free plan, but it is limited to 500 sends per month, 1 seat and 1 audience, no flows or scheduling, and Mailchimp branding stays on emails. It is meant for lists under about 500 contacts.
Does Mailchimp offer a nonprofit discount?
Yes, 15% according to the pricing information we recorded on 6 November 2026; confirm eligibility with Mailchimp.
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